GOLF NOTES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 August 1939, Page 9

GOLF NOTES

OKA HEKETA SHIELD CONTEST MASTERTON'S PROSPECTS. EVERY CHANCE OF WINNING TROPHY. The Masterton Golf Club has every prospect of winning the Oka Heketa Shield when the return match is played with Hutt at Lansdowne on September 17. It will be remembered that last year, when Masterton were 27 games down in the contest at the Hutt, they were able to make up the leeway at Lansdowne and square the match. In view of the fact that Hutt have only a margin of 11 games this year on their own links there appears to be every prospect that Masterton will win the shield with a substantial number of games to spare. Masterton players found the condition of the Hutt greens much to their liking. Besides J. P. Hornabrook and T. H. Horton, two ex-amateur champions, several others put on good games. According to a Wellington commentator the Masterton pair, who have defied all efforts by outside players to win the Masterton open championship for many years, showed by the form they displayed on Sunday that it may be some years before an outsider will be able to dethrone them on their owyi course. J. P. Hornabrook and T. H. Horton proved much too good for G. P. Roberts and J. L. Black in the fourball. Hornabrook started off in brilliant fashion by recording birdies at the first three holes. He went on strongly io do the out journey in 35. Horton hit his iron shots crisply and chipped | with deadly precision. The Hutt pair did not have a look in. The Masterton men were 5 up at the turn and captured the next two holes to stand dormy seven. It was all over when the twelfth hole was halved in 4. which gave the Masterton pair the match by 7 and. 6. They finished out the round and Hornabrook wanted a 4 at the home hole for a 69. but planted his drive in a ngaio bush and took 7. Even then he covered the course in 72. Horton took 38 each way and Roberts 40 and 38. Black was completely off his game, taking 42 for the out-journey and 45 for the run home.

Horton came on to his game in the afternoon to beat Black in the singles by 3 and 2. Out in 38, Horton did a brilliant home journey of 34. Black took 40 out and 41 home.

Hornabrook did not play so well in the afternoon, but his 81 was good enough to beat Roberts by 4 and 2. Roberts took 40 each way. Hornabrook badly duffed his drive off the second tee and took 8 for the hole.

H. S. Budd played rather outstanding golf during the weekend. On Saturday he went round at Lansdowne in 70 while at the Hutt, although he was five down on his opponent in the first five holes, he was able to square the match. He started the season off a handicap of one and is now on scratch, after having been away for a considerable period on account of illness. t

The Masterton Club is sending a team of twelve to Palmerston North at the end of the month to challenge for the Wilson Cup. at present held by the Hokowhitu Club.

Playing in a fourball bogey match at the Russley Golf Club's course the other day, E. Rudkin holed his teeshot at the tenth hole. Rudkin has now holed-in-one three times, twicebeing at Templeton. RIVERSIDE CLUB COMMENT ON RECENT PLAY. CHAMPIONSHIP AND OTHER CONTESTS. (By ‘'Long Drive.”) During the past weekend the members of the Riverside Golf Club played in a Stableford round. The links were in good order. During the coming weekend the first round of the championship matches will be completed and many interesting matches should be witnessed. Ihe best card handed in last Saturday was that of G. Jones, who rc-

turned a net score of 67 and scored 35 points in the Stableford competition. This player was the hero of the day on Sunday, in a match played against Bideford for the Dominion Life Cup. After being dormy 4 he carried on and finished all square with M. Falloon.

G. Beecroft could not get going in the first nine holes on Saturday but improved on the second nine, returning in 38. He scored thirty-two points in the Stableford competition. The highlight of this player's round was a birdie 2 on the tenth hole.

By playing another steady round J. C. Bell scored 34 Stableford points. Included in his card were three birdies.

Playing in the first round of the intermediate championship S. Wyatt eliminated B. Braggins 4 and 3. This game did not produce the good score as expected, as both players , commenced very cautiously. By playing good golf going out for the first nine holes F. Candy's score was 37. He returned with 39 and secured 35 points in the Stableford competition. The best round of his career was played by W J. Palamontain on Saturday when he completed the course in 80 off the stick. This competitor also played his first round match in the intermediate championship and defeated A. Carstens 9 and 8.

Playing in a fourball competition R. Baker and F. Shearer defeated V. Jones and D. Costello 1 up. This was a match of lost opportunities. Costello, after being three feet from the pin on the “Kumbak” with his third, took three putts. Playing in the first round of the junior championship F. Dwyer defeated S. L. Pye 4 and 3. after being 4 up at the turn. M. Finlayson defeated G. Longworth in a junior championship match.

W. Gemmell came on to his game again on Saturday and returned a card of 67 net. The “Kumbak" was the downfall of this player as a 9 appears on his card for that hole. R. Hatch returned a card of 70 net. being the best card this player has handed in for some time. It has been achieved by continual practice in preparation for his match with R. Wearne in the first round of the intermediate championship. This match is to be played on Sunday morning. C. Leigh even surprised himself when he scored a birdie 3 on “Hades,’' 330 yards, and scored 33 Stableford points. Playing in the first round of the senior championship L. Roff defeated A. Wyeth. The result of this match was rather a surprise as Wyeth is recognised as a very hard man to beat on match play.